Hallux-corrector.



i). IW. STCK,

HALLUX CURELR.

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CHARLES M. STCK, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

HALLUX-CORRECTGR.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led July 31, 1918. Serial No. 217,473.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. STCK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and atate of Washington, haveinvented certain new and useful lmprovements in ldlalluX-Correctors, ofwhich the following is a specifi cation.

rlhis invention relates to chiropody, and its object is the provision ofdevices adapted to be applied to a persons foot; first, for the purposeof straightening his great toe and preventing the latter from crowdingthe adjacent digit to correct deformities of the foot; second, toprovide efficient means to eliminate bunions occurring at the rst orn'ietatarso-phalangeal joint of the great toe; and third, to providecorrective means of this character which may be conveniently wornwithout discomforting the patient.

With these ends in view, the invention consists in the novelconstruction, adaptation and combination of elements, as will behereinafter described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view showing a portionof a human foot to which is applied an instrument embodying the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the instrument in its eX- tendedcondition. Fig. 3 is a section through 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the toe plate and support therefor, shown detached.

Referring to the drawings, l provide a dei/'ice having a sole piece 5 ofa substantially oblong shape comprising a relatively strong centrallayer 6 of leather or other suitable material interposed between layers7 and 8 of fabric or an equivalent.-

Fixedly secured, as by rivets 9, to one end of the layer 6 is a toeplate 10 having a portion 12 extending forwardly of the front edge 11 ofthe sole piece. Adjacent to its outer end, the plate part 12 is formedor provided at one side with an upwardly directed curved shield or ward13 having its concave face 131 disposed toward the longitudinal axis ofthe part 12.

Secured tothe end of the sole piece 5 in proximity to the plate 10 arethe branches 14 of a bifurcated strap member havinO' a tongue 15 adaptedto be engaged in a buctlrle 16 connected to a complementary strap member17 which is secured to the other' end of said sole piece.

18 represents a felt or cloth pad of substantially a horsesshoe shapesecured by sew ing or otherwise to the bifurcations 14: of the strapmember 15.

The above-described instrument is applied by placing the sole piece 5transversely under the patients foot so that the part 12 will be beneaththe great toe A. (Fig. l)` and the shield 13 interposed between thelatter and the adjacent toe C. The strap is then engaged about the foot,as shown in Fig. 1, so that the metatarso-phalangeal joint, indicated byB, will be located in the aperture intermediate the strap bifurcationslll.

Thus arranged, the strap is drawn tight causing the great toe to beforced by the ward 13 away from the toe C thereby enabling the same tobe straight. 'llhe strap furthermore exercises a pressure through themedium of the pad 18 to reduce a bunion or protuberance which may obtainat the joint B.

yll`he advantages of the invention reside principally in the provisionof an appliance which may be used without disconiforting thepatient, tohold the great toe away from the other toes and drawing it inwardly atthe joint. he appliance may be worn without causing the foot to perspireand without subjecting the foot to constraint such as would interferewith its natural movements when walking.

What ll claim is- 1. A. device of the character described, having a solepiece, a toe plate rigidly secured to and extending forwardly from said.sole piece, said toe plate being formed at one side of its forward endto provide an upwardly directed ward, and a strap conncctcd to said solepiece and adapted to engage about a persons foot for securing the devicethereto and retain the ward in posi tion to hold the great toe in spacedrelation with the adjacent toe of the wearers foot.

2. ln a device of the character described, the combination with a solepiece, and a toe plate `rigidly secured in rectangular relation to saidsole piece and formed with a ward element arranged to be interposedbetween the great toe and the toe adjacent thereto, of a strap connectedto the ends of the sole piece for rigidly securing the same to a foot bysurrounding the latter at the metatarso-phalangeal joint thereof, saidstrap having a pad secured thereto and adapted to bear the foot at themeta-tarsophalangeal joint of the great toe.

Patented Jan.. 141, 1919.

3. In aelevieev ofy the character described, the combination With a solepiece of a substantially oblong shape, and a toe plate secured atapproximately right angles to said sole piece and formed With a Wardelementi arranged to be interposed between the great 'toe and the toeadjacent thereto, of a strap the great y toe.

4l. Ay device' ofthe Character described, comprising aIV sole piece, atoe plate extending forwardly from one sido of said sole piece, a Wardformed on the toe plate at one side of its forward end, a strapconnected to opposite sides of said sole piece andv adapted to beengaged about a persons foot for retaining said sole piece and said toeplate beneath the foot and hold the Ward in position to separate thegreat toe from the adjacent toe.

Signed at Seattle7 fashington7 this 16th day of July, 1918.

' CHARLES M. STCK.

Witnesses:

PIERRE BARNES, E. PETERSON.

Copies of this patent mayv be" obtained for fiveA cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C.

